Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba has directed regional and district medical officers to allocate funds for ambulance fuel in their health service budgets to ensure that patients requiring emergency referrals are not delayed while being asked to contribute towards fuel costs.

He issued the directive on Monday, November 9, 2026, while addressing residents of Iselamagazi in Solwa Constituency, Shinyanga District Council, during his working visit to Shinyanga Region.

“Do not ask people to contribute money for ambulance fuel. An ambulance should transport patients to hospital without delay. An ambulance is not a public transport vehicle, and nurses are not conductors collecting fuel contributions,” he said.

He instructed the Shinyanga Regional Medical Officer to ensure that ambulances are adequately fuelled and ready to respond to patients, emphasising that fuel costs must be included in health budgets.

“If you did not include the funds in the budget and are now preparing one, I want all ambulances to be on standby. Patients whose lives need to be saved must not be asked to pay for fuel,” he said.

He also urged residents who have been asked to contribute towards ambulance fuel to provide the full names of the staff involved. He further directed that employees who delay services through negligence should be dismissed rather than transferred to other health facilities.